Commander #256 (Ceili)

[Chance]

A wee bit of progress on what will become Ceili's new rudder someday. I spent the morning assembling my notes and putting them down on paper so that I may find out what kind of damage a machinist will charge to perform the machine work.

Finally cut out the core profile for the rudder, as seen. I utilized the measurements from the line drawing depicting the alternative profile (constellation). Basically the rudder profile will assume the look like that which graces Bristols.

As you can see, I had decided a time ago, to replace the stock tiller head assembly (strap and cap). The one shown is from Spartan Marine in Maine and was machined for the 1 inch rudder stock (shaft).

[Chance]

Here's the close ups.

[Commander 147]

Chance

How thick do you plan to make the body of the rudder? Will you make it the same thickness as the shaft or will you make it the thickness of the aft end of the keel that it butts up against?

[Chance]

Jerry,
I'm aiming for the leading edge of the rudder foil to be 1-1/4" wide and the trailing edge to be 3/8" wide. I had the opportunity to obtain measurements from an original, unmolested mahogany rudder on an ariel earlier this year and the leading thickness was the same, but the aft (trailing) was 1/2" wide.
I met with a machinist this afternoon, actually he came to my work, and we looked over my drawings. I'll find out tomorrow what kind of damage (cost) they want to perform the machine work I desire and the welding phase as well.
I'll keep all posted and will of course document the progress / work with digital photos, as you know the saying: a picture is worth a thousand words.

[Chance]

I dropped off the materials at the machine / fabrication shop I have selected to perform the work. They will:

1) mill the shaft to length
2) mill the keyway slot
3) mill the boss, ensuring a .018 clearance with the rudder shoe bored hole
4) mill seven (7) blind holes
5) mill four (4) slots in the 3/8 inch rod
6) prep the flat stock for insertion into four of the seven rods
7) mill the key stock
8) ensure the tiller head assembly will fit onto the shaft (spartan marine milled the keyway on the tiller head)
9) cut 3/8" rod into seven (7) specific lengths
10) weld eleven (11) joints

The above will cost me $275 and will be done later next week. I'll post pics when I have the assembly in hand, back here on our property.

[ebb]

You won't forget the keeper strap, right?
sometimes called a gudgeon.

[Chance]

Ebb,
No, I won't forget, thanks. I have a 1" X 12" X 1/8" piece of silicon bronze 655 everdur on my bench just waiting for this application. I also have the copper rod I will be using to rivet it place, along with the rudder shoe.

Here's a couple of photos of some work I did in regards to the cockpit sail lockers. Upon removal of the cockpit locker hinges, I found a excessive amount of gel coat applied along the corner edge (under the hinge itself) that cracked substantially. I cleaned / removed all this and rebuilt up this area on both the Port and Starboard sides. I also added glassed in mahogany stringers that run the full length of the locker. These stringers were applied directly under where the screws from the hinge enter the deck.

[Chance]

Ebb,
Yes, here is the strap you mention, that I will replace when Ceili receives her new rudder.

[Chance]

Here's a couple of photos of Ceili's "AFT" section in her original gray gel coat, never painted....yet.

As many of you know, I modified the forward sector when I removed and rebuilt, to my liking, the compression post load bearing base.

[Chance]

Here is another project that ties into Ceili. This is small tender that will come in handy when Ceili floats. The design is by B&B yacht designs here in NC and I think it is called the "minipaw" pram dingy. She'll seat two and is primarily designed for row and it about 6-1/2 feet long.

[Commander 147]

Chance

That is a sweet little tender! I can see you now when Celi is all done you'll be spending all your free time out sailing the sound and exploring the coastline with your little pram behind to row in even closer to see things you could not otherwise see.

So how will you plan to use Celi? Mostly coastal crusing or do you have other plans?

BTW you can count your blessings that your bilge was never filled with the water logged foam that Destiny's was. What a pain that was digging all that wet foam out of her bilge.

[Chance]

Here's the assembled rudder shaft assembly. Next phase, rudder core fitting.

[Chance]

A couple more shots.

[ebb]

Absolutely beautiful metalwork.

Very elegant. Wish I had mine done that way!

[Ariel 109]

Nice metalwork! Can I ask what kind of solder was used to join the elements?